During the Lenten season I plan to write about Jesus journey to Jerusalem where a cross awaited him. Jesus said to his disciples, “Take up your cross and follow me.” And so we set out on our own pilgrimage to the foot of the cross.

Following Jesus' baptism by John, the second evangelist, Mark tells us, “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” Jesus time in the wilderness was based on a rich tradition. In the time of Noah, God caused it to rain for forty days that he might cleanse the earth with the flood. The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the Promised Land. Elijah made a journey of forty days to Mt. Horeb where he prepared to meet Yahweh. Like Jesus, we also observe forty days in preparation for meeting him at the foot of the cross. We call this period of time, “Lent.”

Jesus was baptized by John who was preaching a gospel of judgment and repentance. According to Luke, John cried out to those who came to be baptized, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Even though he was baptized by John, the gospels make it clear that Jesus did not remain a disciple of John. After Jesus time of reflection in the desert, he came with a different message. Compare John's words with what Jesus proclaimed; "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

As followers of Jesus, we need to emulate him as we proclaim his message. Just as Jesus turned away from John's gospel of fear and judgement to a gospel of love and hope, we must also allow love to reign in our hearts. Listen again to Jesus' first proclamation. “The kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Like Jesus, we proclaim a message of hope to a world that has little hope.

So at the beginning of our journey through Lent, we face our inadequacies and confess our failures. By taking the sign of the cross as an act of penitence, we change direction, take up our cross, and set our feet on the journey with Jesus. We know that the journey is not always easy. We try, we fail, we repent, and we go on. It is only through the wonderful Grace of God that we can keep our eyes upon Jesus and know that he represents the ultimate victory over sin and death. So let us take up the cross and follow him, for he knows the way, and he will lead us home.

Prayer: Father, we are fellow pilgrims on this journey. We look ahead and we know not where it all will lead. Yet we put our trust in Jesus. Guide our feet while we run this race, and give us the strength and the courage to follow in his footsteps. We pray this in the name of him who is our hope, even Jesus the Christ. Amen